Change Horizons: Three Novellas Read Free

time in the hovercraft, just the two of them. Someone had to act mature and make sure this frustrating woman could do her job unhindered.
    “I shouldn’t have brought it up,” Ciel said, shaking her head. “We don’t see eye to eye on this and we never will. I don’t want to keep arguing while we’re on this mission.”
    Gemma studied her through narrow slits. It was amazing how stunning she was. Ciel was used to being suspicious of anyone who wasn’t blue-blooded like herself. She realized that a lot of Onotharians still lived on Gantharat, and most of them had lived there before the Onotharian Empire had occupied her home world. These Onotharians had either joined the occupants or remained loyal to Gantharat, but either way, it was hard to tell the difference just by looking at them. Watching Gemma now, who wasn’t blue-blooded or as warm-colored as the Onotharians, Ciel didn’t know how to respond.
    Gemma wasn’t very tall and was quite slender, her skin transparent and pale. The only thing about her that looked Onotharian was the dark-brown, slightly tousled hair that reached her earlobes. Long and slender, her neck rose from the collar of her coverall uniform, which hid the rest of her very effectively. Ciel wasn’t sure why she paid such attention to detail when it came to Gemma. It had been the same the last time they met. Remembering how Gemma had lectured her in front of everybody, Ciel found herself reflecting more about how Gemma must have lost weight in the last month rather than how incensed she had been that time.
    Now Gemma placed her mug in the recycler and pushed her hands into her pockets. “I have work to do. See you later.”
    “Yes. Oh, here. You need to keep rehydrating. These hovercraft are horrible that way.” Ciel opened the cool storage cabinet and pulled out a bottle. “It has some tasteless cloves in it. It’s—”
    “Good for me. Yes. I understand.” Gemma took the bottle. “I should have asked before I had the soup, I guess, but I assume you’ve checked that everything you serve me is compatible with Earth human metabolism?”
    “Yes.” Ciel spoke through her teeth. Really. This woman was going to drive her into seclusion due to mental issues that no herbs or chants could fix. Yes, the question was warranted, she knew that, but did Gemma have to sound like she thought Ciel was a complete idiot?
    “Good. Thank you.” Gemma nodded curtly and walked into her quarters.
    Ciel took a bottle of clove water for herself and stomped into her own space. The door shut behind her and she leaned against it, closing her eyes. She dreaded the upcoming long days of clenched teeth and fists.

Chapter Two
     
    Ciel watched with secret fascination how Gemma’s command presence made her look taller and more intimidating when she stood before the tall, burly SC soldiers. The sun-heated foliage created a sweet-scented mist around them as Gemma stalked along the group of eight men and six women, her eyes squinting as she debated with the sergeant next to her.
    “I refuse to enter the medical facility of Rihoa with all fourteen of them trailing me, scaring the patients and intimidating the staff. I can’t do my job that way, Sergeant.”
    “We’re in charge of your security detail. I’m under strict orders directly from the admiral to not let anything happen to you.” The man, seasoned and weathered, tried to look amicable, but Ciel could tell he was ready to grab Gemma by her neck and shake some sense into her.
    “I don’t enjoy repeating myself. It won’t work.”
    “Dr. Meyer,” Ciel said, not about to watch this turn into a time-consuming squabble. “What if you allow two soldiers to go with us and the others to position themselves where they need to be in case something happens?”
    “Perhaps.” Gemma muttered under her breath. “Fine.” She slung the strap of her bag over her shoulder and looked impatiently at the two closest soldiers. “You and you. Join Dr. O’Diarda